Volkswagen’s New Patent Could Spell the End of Car Buttons

A surprising new patent from Volkswagen hints at a button-free future inside cars. But could this idea make driving easier or create even more distractions on the road?

Volkswagen may be preparing to change the way drivers interact with their cars, and not everyone is going to like it. A recently published patent shows that the company is exploring technology to replace traditional physical buttons with eye-tracking controls.

The patent, first spotted by Motor1, was filed last year and recently approved. Instead of pressing a button or turning a dial, drivers would look at the feature they want to control, such as the sunroof, wipers, or radio, and then confirm the action with a universal toggle. In simple words, your eyes become the pointer, and a small controller becomes the “enter” button.

Volkswagen explains in the patent that as cars add more features, menus and buttons become more complicated, making it harder for drivers to manage them. The automaker argues that eye control could minimize clutter and make the process simple.

However, in reality, this idea has raised a lot of concerns. A driver can use buttons without looking at them, but eye controls require taking eyes off the road to focus on particular features. This might make the driving more distracting, particularly when someone is driving at high speeds.

It is worth noting that just because something has a patent doesn’t mean it will reach production cars. Automakers often file patents to explore concepts, and many never leave the drawing board. Volkswagen has already backtracked once, moving away from its unpopular haptic steering wheel controls. Drivers may be hoping the same happens here.

For now, the patent sparks an important debate: should the future of cars be about fewer buttons and more tech or about keeping things simple and safe?